After a few minutes rest from work, I immediately took my art materials and start painting. I loved doing portraits from photo. Typically, around 11 o’clock in the evening if I get started and sometimes it takes the morning before I decided to sleep.

Just like drawings from pencil, charcoal portraits are great. I’m glad my brother bought me a charcoal pencil in the Philippines, which is so hard for me to find in Brunei or maybe I just don’t know the exact place to buy, hmm...

Facebook is also a great help in this business. Perhaps all kind of businesses are now connected to social media, am I right? Charcoal Portraits are also great help for the family, especially, since those earnings I gained here as an overseas contract worker ain’t enough to meet all their needs. But the most important is, aside from money-making, it has also increased my efficiency in painting, can control my patience much longer, having peace of mind and freeing myself by expressing my thoughts with every stroke of my hand. (Nah! Just expressing my thoughts here, don’t take me seriously.)

This is a pure talent for me. I did not attend art classes before, I don't even have drawing lessons or art lessons but luckily GOD gave this to me. I don’t have my own studio. I’m doing it all at my bedroom. sitting on a small box, holding my 22 in x 33 in drawing board made of plywood. Well, sometimes I felt uncomfortable but as time goes by, I'm getting used to it. Besides, I’m having FUN!

charcoal portrait of a smiling lady

Hey, guys... if you have time and want to see more drawings from pencil and charcoal portraits artworks or have any questions regarding the latter, don’t hesitate to visit my Facebook Fan page: https://www.facebook.com/ThehanDrawnand view more artworks of mine and co-artists at theHANDrawn.